The 1841 census included schedule A returns, which had a list of questions for the householder, employer of servants, or person in charge. The census also had numerical returns and abstracts. Only schedule A will be indexed in this project. Any image that DOES NOT show a schedule A return should be marked as a No Extractable Data Image.

On some returns, more than one person was recorded as the householder, employer of servants, or person in charge. For example, one person may have been recorded as the proprietor and another person may have been recorded as the person in charge. A record should be indexed for each person whose name was recorded. If more than one was recorded on the same form, then the same return number would be indexed for all of them.

Highlighting and Using the Ruler

Because of the many census forms found in this project, highlights are not available. You may use the ruler instead to follow a record across an image.

If you choose to use the ruler, please be aware that it is not anchored to the indexing screen and does not automatically move as you move to a new entry. To use the ruler:

In the menu bar, click View.

Click Show Ruler.

To move the ruler or adjust its width:

Position the mouse pointer over the ruler bar. When the pointer turns into a four-pointed arrow, click and hold the left mouse button while you move your mouse to drag the ruler to a new location on the screen.

To adjust the width of the ruler, position the mouse pointer at the top or bottom edge of the ruler bar. When the pointer turns into a two-pointed arrow, click and hold the left mouse button, and then move your mouse up or down to change the width of the ruler.

Number of Records per Image

Each batch typically contains 15 images, with one record per image.

You may need to add entry lines in the data entry area to match the number of records on the image. To add entry lines:

In the menu bar, click Tools.

Click Records per Image

Click in the Number of records box, and type the number of records on the image.

Click OK.

If you press Tab or Enter after you complete the last record on an image, a message will appear asking if you want to add one or more records to the image. If you have already indexed all the records on the image, do the following:

Ensure that 0 (zero) is in the Number of records box.

Click OK.

Diacritics and Other Characters

If the name of a person or locality is written with a character not on your keyboard, such as the "ó" in Nicoló, please insert the character by clicking on the Enter special international characters icon (a square with an "ñ" in it) and selecting the character you want to insert, or:

In the menu bar, click Edit.

Click International Letters.

Click the letter you want to insert.

Handwriting Help

Many of these records are handwritten. The handwriting resource on the data entry screen may help you decipher the handwriting.

To access this resource, click the Handwriting Help icon (an inkwell with an orange feather quill).

Brightness and Contrast

To change the brightness of an image, click the View menu, and click Brightness and Contrast.

To darken the image, move the Brightnessslider to the left of zero; to brighten the image, move the slider to the right of zero.

To change the contrast, click and drag the Contrastslider to the right.

To sharpen the image, click the View menu, and click on Sharpen to adjust the slider.